New images show abuse in Australian youth detention centres

Sydney, Aug 18 (IANS) A month after reports of abuse of minors in youth detention centres in the Northern Territory of Australia, new images taken by security cameras of a youth detention centre in Queensland state showed abuses against juvenile detainees.

One of the videos showed a 17-year-old boy, lying face down in handcuffs and ankle cuffs, while he is stripped naked by five guards and left for an hour in the room, EFE news reported.

According to officials, the boy was punished for refusing to take a shower.

The incident dates back to January 2013 and was recorded in the youth detention centre in the city of Townsville.

Another video showed a girl swimming in the centre’s pool and being threatened by a security guard with a dog without a muzzle.

The videos were kept along with government reports, written between 2013 and 2015 by Queensland Government’s Youth Detention Inspectorate, ABC reported.

On July 30, Shayleen Solomon, a former employee at the Cleveland centre, said detainees were physically and emotionally abused by the guards.

Towards the end of July, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull asked for a government investigation into the Don Dale Youth Detention Centre near Darwin, following a report by ABC that showed the ill treatment of children by the centre’s guards.

Several human rights organisations have urged the Australian government to extend the investigation to other juvenile detention centres in the country.